Jason Lee

Though he started his career as a professional skateboarder, Jason Lee managed to accomplish that rare feat of transitioning from successful athlete to successful actor. But unlike most sports stars m...
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Cast in a supporting role opposite Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan in "Cop Out"

Made first TV film, "Weapons of Mass Destruction" (HBO)

Voiced Buddy Pine/Syndrome in the Pixar animated feature "The Incredibles"

Appeared as the demon Azreal in Smith's "Dogma"

Featured as a touring rock musician in Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical feature "Almost Famous"

Acted in Kevin Smith's "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back"

Had a small role as a PR executive in Kevin Smith's "Jersey Girl"

Played a skateboarding millionnaire in Lawrence Kasdan's "Mumford"

Appeared on an episode of "Melrose Place" (Fox)

Starred in the comedy "A Guy Thing"

Reunited with director Cameron Crowe as co-star of "Vanilla Sky," playing the novelist best friend of a wealthy playboy (Tom Cruise)

Acted in "Stealing Harvard" with Tom Green

Feature film debut, Kevin Smith directed comedy "Mallrats"

Reprised role of Dave in "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked"

Starred in the family film "Alvin and the Chipmunks"

Played a bartender targeted by a young con woman (Jennifer Love Hewitt) in "Heartbreakers"

Made series regular debut as the star and producer of "My Name Is Earl" (NBC); earned Golden Globe (2006, 2007) and SAG (2006, 2007) nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy series; nominated for TV - Choice Actor: Comedy at the Teen Choice Awards (2006); n

Co-starred in Richard Kelly's ensemble film "Southland Tales"

Starred as a police detective who moonlights as an Elvis impersonator on TNT's "Memphis Beat"

Voiced the title character in the live-action version of the classic cartoon "Underdog"

Appeared in Sonic Youth video "100 Percent" as a skateboarder

Summary

Though he started his career as a professional skateboarder, Jason Lee managed to accomplish that rare feat of transitioning from successful athlete to successful actor. But unlike most sports stars making the jump, he was armed with strong acting chops and an easy-going charm. After making a few music videos with director and fellow skateboarding enthusiast Spike Jonze, Lee broke into features by starring in indie-filmmaker Kevin Smith's "Mallrats" (1995). He quickly graduated to more prominent features, earning critical kudos and Internet fandom while maintaining a relatively low-key mainstream profile. Over the next several years, he was a regular Smith player, appearing in "Chasing Amy" (1997), "Dogma" (1999) and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" (2001), while branching out to studio fare like "Enemy of the State" (1998) and "Vanilla Sky" (2001). Lee went from prominent supporting actor to television star when he landed his first series, "My Name Is Earl" (NBC, 2005-09), a blunt and irreverent comedy in which he effortlessly portrayed a dimwitted petty thief trying to right the wrongs of his life. While never a ratings winner, "Earl" nonetheless offered Lee an opportunity to demonstrate his versatility as an actor.

Name

Role

Comments

Ceren Alkac

Wife

Secretly married in July 2008; announced marriage in November 2008; Renewed vows on Nov. 11, 2011

Education

Name

Notes

He was not to be confused with actor Jason Scott Lee.

"I'm a person that skateboards, right? I'm not a skateboarder. I do movies, but I'm not an actor. It's just cool to have the opportunity. And if you play the roles you want, the money will come eventually." – Lee in Premiere, October 1995

"I've always been certain about how I want to do things, but at the same time the approach has always been very light. I don't think a lot about it. I don't ponder, I don't sit and wonder. For some people, acting is their passion. They study it. They go to school. They read plays. I've never read a play. I don't know who Chekhov is. You know what I mean? That's fine." – Lee to Los Angeles Magazine, November 2002